Container and method of making the same



7 Oct; 17, 1 939. I R. c; FENN'ER 2,176,216

Oct. 17, 1939,. R. c. FENNER 2,176,216

CONTAINER AND METHOD OFJJAKING THE SAME Filed June 19, 1937. 2Sheets-Sheet 2 iafefi 0767777611 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 2,176,216CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME w Robert C. Fenner, Evanston;111., assignor to Dixie-Vortex Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofDelaware Application June 19, 1937, Serial No. 149,106'

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in acontainer and method ofmaking the same, and more particularly-to a container of the charactermade of paper or some similar fibrous material sufficiently economicalto warrant disposition of the container after a single usage, theinvention being highly desirable both as a medium for packaging frozenconfections such as ice creams and sherbets, for example, and also as a10 'medium for containing a liquid, when associated with a suitableholder, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as willbe apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the making of containers of paper and similat material, either forthe packaging of a frozen comestible or for containing a liquid, it ishighly desirable to provide a container substantially self-sustaining inthat it will substantially maintain its own container shape, and it isalso ex- 20 tremely desirable to make the container as economically aspossible and with as few operations as possible. Insofar as I am aware,all containers made heretofore having overlapped portions would notretain their shape unless the over- 88 lapped portions were securedtogether, such, for example, as by a suitable adhesive, and obviouslymore economical manufacture would result in the event the securingoperation could be eliminated.

Y Other containers of which I am aware and 30 which did not haveoverlapping portions secured together, were not capable of retainingtheir own shape prior to use or prior to disposition in some form of aholder, but up to the time of usage were merely in the form of asubstantially flat 88 blank shaped at the time of usage.

' With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the presentinvention to provide a paper container which tends to substantiallyretain its general shape without support, and which also 40 hasunsecured overlapping portions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container of paperor similar material having overlapped unsecured portions but so formedthat it will tend to substantially retain its con- 45 tainer shape,sufllciently to permit nesting of a plurality of the containers.

A further object of the invention is thepro vision of a container ofconical shape, made from a single blank of paper or similar material,and

80 so formed that it will tend to retain itsconicalshape aloneandunaided at least to an extent plurality ofthe It a container madefrom paper or similar material, having overlapped unsecured portions,the container being so constructed as to maintain its container shapealone and unaided at least to such an extent as to render it suitablefor handling and so constructed that when placed in a holder it willpromptly assume its proper and complete resultant shape sufliciently tocontain a liquid.

Also an object of this invention is the,provislon of a. substantiallyself-sustaining container of paper or similar material, which may bemade from a single blank of stock, merely by forming the sheet intocontainer shape.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a conicalpaper container which 15 may be made by merely shaping a blank of stockinto conical form with overlapped marginal portions, and nesting thecontainer in a plurality of previouslyformed containers, leaving thecontainer in nested position until the stock material has suflicienttime to acquire a set, whereby at least the apexial region of theconical container will retain its formed shape, so that the entirecontainer may be handled as though it were a true cone and willimmediately adapt itself to substantially true conical shape upon beingplaced in a holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paper container whichmay be made by simply forming a blank of stock into container shape andcontemporaneously giving the materiala set suflicient to cause theformed blank to be substantially self-sustaining in container shape.

It is also an object of'the invention to pro-' vide a new and novelmethod of making a container.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new andnovel method of making and using a. container.

While some of the more salient features, char- 4o acteristics, andadvantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, otherswill become apparent from the following disclosures taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in whi'chz' Figure 1 is a sideelevational view of a, containerembodying principles 'of the presentinvention, with the opening between the overlapping marginal portions ofthe container somewhat exaggerated, for the purpose of clarity;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fi e 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showingthe'contalner of Figure .Lfllled with a frozen comestible, such as icecream;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the container of Figure 1,showing the same positioned in a holder illustrated in section, thecontainer being ready for reception of a liquid substance;

Figure is a, fragmentary, part elevational and part sectional view,illustrating a. step in the formation of the container;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, part sectional and part elevational view,illustrating a step in the use of the container;

Figure '7 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure of Figure 6, withthe container proper indicated by dotted lines.

As shown on the drawings:

As an illustrated embodiment of my invention, I ha e selected acontainer of substantially true conical shape, and of a character whichmay be used for the packaging of frozen comestibles, such as ice creamand sherbets, in which the frozen comestible is frozen in and to thecontainer, and which container may also be used in a suitable holder tocontain a liquid substance and function as a drinking cup. The containeris preferably made from a suitable paper, such as the paper commonlyused in the manufacture of paper drinking cups, the so-called dry-waxpaper (in which the paper stock is impregnated with a thermoplasticsubstantially non-detectable from the surface of the paper stock) beinga satisfactory and preferable material.

In the present instance, the illustrated container is made from a singleblank of material, which blank is preferably somewhat sectorshapedincluding an initially arcuate edge III for defining the mouth of thecontainer and a pair of converging side edges H and I2, the marginsadjacent which side edges are overlapped, as indicated at l3 in Figure4. The blank also preferably includes a projecting tab-like portion l4extending from one of the converging side edges, in this instance fromthe side edge II, the tab I being substantially coincidental with theside edge l2, as seen best in Figure 5.

It is to be understood that the container is not. limited to the use ofa blank oi the character just above described, any suitable form ofblank being satisfactory, and by way of example and not by way oflimitaton, I mention the forms of blanks illustrated in Cesare BarbieriPatent No. 1,610,192, issued December '7, 1926, entitled Conical papercup and process of making the same, and Andrew C. Wood Patent No.1,964,238, issued June 26, 1934, entitled Cups for confectioneries, asbeing satisfactory. However, it is to be definitely understood thatwhile the blanks mentioned in the aforesaid patents are provided with aform of adhesive for securing the overlapped marginal portions together,the blank of the present invention as herein illu trated and describedis not provided with any sum of adhesive or other securing means on theoverlapping margins, these margins remaining in overlapping position butbeing unsecured or unattached to each other by any outside medium. .Whena single container is removed from a stack of nested containers prior touse, it will have an appearance approximating the showing in Figures 1and 2, although in these figures the space l5 between the upper portionsof .the overlapped margins has been exaggerated somewhat for the purposeof clarity. However, the container will not have the exact shape of theshowing in Figures 3 and 4 prior to use, because the container is formedfrom a blank. of material which is merely shaped into container formand.

be substantially self-sustaining in substantially conical form, and uponplacement of the container in a suitable holder, a slight force in theplacing or a slight pressure after the placing is more than suflicientto cause the container to assume the shape of Figures 3 and 4.

One satisfactory way of forming the container isv illustrated in Figure5. In this instance, a

conical mandrel l6, mounted for rotation upon a.

suitable shaft I l, is utilized, and the container blank is preferablygripped adjacent one of the side edges by the mandrel and then woundaround the mandrel as the latter rotates. In Figure 5, I haveillustrated a blank as partially wound around the mandrel, this figureplainly indicating the fact that the last portion or outer one of theoverlapped margins is devoid of any adhesive or other securing means.

Preferably during the winding operation and thereafter for an intervalof time, if desired, the blank is ironed by a suitable presser membercomprising a backing l8, a layer IQ of resilient substance, such assponge rubber, for example, and a smooth-surfaced plate 20 which may beleather, copper or some other suitable material. The pressure of theironing member tends to provide a stretching tension in the stock of theblank, thus giving the blank somewhat of a set so that thereafter theblank will tend to remain in its rolled form. Immediately after thewinding of the blank against the ironing member, the blank is ejectedfrom the mandrel into a plurality of completed containers 2| disposed innested relationship in a receiving chute or maga-- zine 22 of such sizeas to maintain the; containers in their ultimate shape for use. Thedotted lines in this figure indicate how the cup being formed upon themandrel l6 will be ejected into the stack of nested containers 2 l.

The forcible ejection may be done in any suitable manner, either byproviding a blast of air through the mandrel to forcibly eject thecontainer and lodge it firmly in the stack of nested containers, or thecontainer may be dropped by gravity from the mandrel into the stack ofnested containers and a suitable mechanical means, such asareciprocating stacker utilized to press it firmly into positive nestingengagement. After removing the containers from the chute, they may beplaced in a carton, and the formed blank is permitted to remain innested engagement for a period of time, usually several days before itis desired or available for use, and this nested engagement tends toaugment the set of the blank, so that when it is removed from the stackof nested cups, it will tend to be selfsustaining in substantiallyconical shape, as above explained.

If so desired, the mandrel may be heated by any suitable means, such asan electrical heating element contained within the mandrel, which may beenergized by a pair of conductors 23 from any suitable source of power.When formed around a heated mandrel, the set in the blank will be morepronounced, and this is partially due to the thermoplastic with whichthe paper is impregnated. Due to the heat, the thermoplastic cratingair.

mitted to reharden while the container is nested in a stack ofcontainers, and thus the thermoplastic aids in rendering the containermore selfsustaining. Of course, the same results would be obtained inthe event the paper were wax-coated rather than impregnated.

Assuming that it is desired to use the container for the purpose ofpackaging frozen confectioneries, a container may be removed from thestack and dropped into a tray or rack 24, shown in Figures 6 and 7. Thistray or rack is preferably made of a plurality of wires welded together,the use of wires resulting in very little metallic contact with thecontainer and leaving considerable space for the circulation of refrig-The wires may be so arranged as to provide a. pair ,of spaced socketsfor each con- I tainer, a small socket for receiving the apexial handand then squeezing the apex of the con-'-- region of the container anda. larger socket 26 for engagement with the upper portion of thecontainer. When the container is dropped into the socket, very littlepressure is needed to cause it to assume the shape seen in Figures 3, 4,6 and 7. The upper portions of the margins adjacent the edges II and I!will promptly assume a proper-overlapped relationship, and the containeris immediately ready for, the reception of the particular comestible. Ifthe container is inserted in the rack with a slight initial propulsion,it will assume the proper shape without any further assistance. If it ismerely dropped into the rack, and a slab filler utilized in the normalmannet for filling a plurality of the containers while in the rack, thepressure from the slab filler will be suflicient to cause the containersto assume a proper shape for the reception of the confection. It istherefore apparent that the container may be handledwith no more laborthan if the overlapping marginal portions were secured together, andwith considerably less labor than-if the container were formed from anunformed blank at the time it is pressed into the tray or rack.

When positioned as seen in Figures 6 and '7, the'container may besupplied with a partially frozen substance, such as ice cream, forexample, whichmay then be frozen in and to the container, and thereafterthe frozen substance will act.to hold the container in proper shape, asindicated in Figure 3, wherein the container is shown as holding afrozen mixture 21, such as ice cream. The margins will remain overlappeduntil the container is stripped from the confecseparating the unsecuredmarginal portions by grasping the outer margin at any desirablelocation, or the protruding tab l4 and unwrapping the container from theconfection, or by holding the entire packaged confection in the handuntil the surface is slightly melted from the heat of the tainer todischarge its contents.

When the container is to be used to contain a liquid, it is simplynecessary to place it in a suitable holder of such character that theapexial region of the container will be relatively tightly held. Forexample, the tray shown in Figures 6 and 7 would be sufficient to holdthe container and enable the container to contain a liquid withoutleakage. However, when the container isto contain a liquid, it is mostfrequently used as a drinking cup, and to this end a holder 28 of thecharacter illustrated in section in Figure 4 may be more desirable,since the holder may readily be held by the user while drinking from thecontainer. When the container is dropped into such a. holder, a slightpressure, as before explained, is suflicient to form the container intosubstantially true conical shape with the marginal portions welloverlapped, and when the container is supplied with liquid, the outwardpressure of the liquid is quite sufficient to compress the overlappedmarginal portions together so as to prevent leakage therebetween. Theexpediency with which the container may be handled for the serving ofbeverages is therefore apparent, it being simply necessary for theattendant or operator to take a container and toss it into the holder 28with slight force, and the container will assume the position shown inFigure 4 and be ready for the reception of the liquid without furtherattention to the container.

In many cases, a mere dropping of the container into the rack 24 or theholder 28, and then the subsequent pouring of the contents into thecontainer will be all that will be necessary, since the dropping of thecontents into the apexial region of the container will providesufficient pressure to cause the contain-er to assume its ulti mate formwith the marginal portions well overlapped. 4

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a. novel formofv container which may be handled very simply and very readily, andwhich is extremely economical to manufacture, the-container consistingmerely of a blank of material formed into container shape, with theelimination of any crimping or folding of the material to interlock thesame, or the provision of any means for securingoverlapped portions ofthe container to each other.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I, there-.

fore, do not purpose limiting the'patent granted hereon otherwise thanis necessitated by the prior said container shape without securement ofmarginal portions of the blank to each other.

2."Ihe method of making a. paper container which is substantiallyself-sustaining having unsecured overlapped portions, includingfashioning a blank of paper stock into container shape with unsecuredoverlapping marginal portions, and

contemporaneously giving the stock a. set to cause the blank tothereafter tend to remain incontainer shape.

3. The method of making out of a single blank of stock a paper containerwhich is substantially self-sustaining having unsecured overlappingportions, including fashioning the blank into container shape withunsecured overlapping marginal portions, providing a set in the blankcausing it to tend to maintain such shape, and promptly and firmlynesting the formed blank in a stack of nested previously formedcontainers to augment the set.

4. The method of making out of 'a single blank of material a containerhaving overlapping unsecured marginal portions and which container issubstantially self-sustaining, including winding.

the blank into container shape, providing a set in the stock of theblank by working the blank in a manner tending to impart a stretchingtension to the stock contemporaneously with the forming of the blank,and promptly nesting the formed blank in a plurality of previouslyformed and nested containers to augment the set.

5. The method of making a substantially selfsustaining container havingunsecured overlapping portions, including heating a blank of paper stockand at the same time fashioning the: blank into container shape, andproviding a set in the blank so that it will thereafter alone andunaided tend to retain its shape as a container.-

6. The method of making 'a substantially selfsustaining container havingunsecured overlapping portions from stock carrying a thermoplastic,including heating a blank of stock until the thermoplastic has softened,contemporaneously fashioning the blank into container shape, andholding. the shaped blank under pressure until the thermoplastic hasagain hardened.

7. The method of making a substantially selfsustaining container havingunsecured. overlapping portions from stock carrying a thermoplastic,including heating a blank of stock until the thermoplastic has softened,contemporaneously fashioning the blank into container shape, andpromptly nesting the formed container in a plurality of previouslyformed and nested containers until the thermoplastic has again hardened.

8. The method of making a substantially selfsustaining container havingunsecured overlapping portions from stock carrying a thermoplastic,including heatin g a blank of stock until the thermoplastic hassoftened, contemporaneously fashioning the blank into container shape,working the blank contemporaneously with the forming thereof in a mannerto impart a stretching tension to the stock, and promptly nesting theformed container in a plurality of previously formed and nestedcontainers until the thermoplastic has again hardened.

9. The method of producing from a blank of paper stock a cup havingunsecured overlapping marginal portions so that said marginal portionsare adapted to remain in substantially overlapped although unsecuredrelation, said method comprising fashioning the blank to cup shape andworking the stock to produce a set in the fashioned blank.

10. The method of producing from a blank of paper stock a containerhaving unsecured overlapping marginal portions so that said marginalportions will remain in substantially overlapped although unsecuredrelation, said method comprising fashioning the blank to containershape, and rubbing the stock to provide tension in the stock and therebyproduce a set in the fashioned blank.

11. The method of producing from a blank of paper or the -like, acontainer having unsecured overlapping marginal portions so that saidmarginal portions are adapted to remainin substantially overlappedalthough unsecured relation, said method comprising fashioning the blankto container shape and deforming the stock by rubbing to produce a setin the fashioned blank.

12. The method of making and using acontainer formed for use withunsecured overlapping marginal portions and adapted to have its marginalportions moved to increased overlapping relation when the container isfilled while in a holder, said method of making and using comprisingfashioning a blank of paper stock, or the like, into the shape of acontainer having overlapping marginal portions, contemporaneouslyworking the stock to give the blank a set so that the overlappingmarginal portions will remain in overlapped although unsecured relationand the container be made available for handling as a completely formedcontainer, placing the container in a holder, and filling the containerto cause the holder to cooperate with the container ROBERT C. FENNER.

